So I was watching a local guy on YouTube throw a deep hole net down about 50 feet and look what he caught………needless to say his net was trashed, he thought he might have had close to 100 gar in a single throw. 

What a mess.

 

I caught about a dozen less than 6" channel cats in my net in a throw once, I thought that was bad. 

I suppose it’s a sign of a healthy ecosystem but I was thinking earlier this morning how these creeks and small rivers I fish for smallmouth in will slow it’s flow to pools in summer and how there can be as many as 40-50 gar up to 36” in length and how does small waters provide so much to keep them fed. Makes me wanna give ‘em the shaft to help the Smallies. 

Gar are a lot of fun to fish for if you find a bunch of them. Supposed to be good eating too but I'll never know. I like to sight cast at them with hard jerkbaits (the cheaper the better). Hooking them is almost impossible but it's fun watching them stalk and attack.

Yep, same here. They always mess with my balsa jerks but I’ve only caught a couple 

14 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

What a mess.

 

I caught about a dozen less than 6" channel cats in my net in a throw once, I thought that was bad. 

I’ve had tiny catfish stuck in my cast net also, it sucks 

 

gar are fun to catch and good food, strange texture but pure white meat 

On 2/2/2022 at 12:23 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Gar are a lot of fun to fish for if you find a bunch of them. Supposed to be good eating too but I'll never know. I like to sight cast at them with hard jerkbaits (the cheaper the better). Hooking them is almost impossible but it's fun watching them stalk and attack.

 

Found them schooling on Buggs Island Lake in VA once.  I was throwing a senko and they kept hitting it, but I couldn't get a hookset until I foul hooked one through the eye (I guess I really just snagged it).

 

He made a mess out of my net and my boat.  Only one I've ever caught.

The guy put up a post yesterday with a picture of his wife removing two gar teeth that were stuck in his hand 

Gar are a popular fish to bow hunt, especially at night. 

I watch YouTube videos all the time.

To be more specific, it's the Alligator Gar that are targeted.

On 2/2/2022 at 9:33 AM, TnRiver46 said:

So I was watching a local guy on YouTube throw a deep hole net down about 50 feet and look what he caught………

 

Net full of fertilizer.

On 2/2/2022 at 10:23 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

Gar are a lot of fun to fish for if you find a bunch of them. Supposed to be good eating too but I'll never know. I like to sight cast at them with hard jerkbaits (the cheaper the better). Hooking them is almost impossible but it's fun watching them stalk and attack.

A fellow local fishermen told me that gar eggs are poisonous

I suppose he was talking about longnose

8 minutes ago, Basser2021 said:

A fellow local fishermen told me that gar eggs are poisonous

I suppose he was talking about longnose

I’ve heard that as well. The meat is actually pretty good. 

4 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve heard that as well. The meat is actually pretty good. 

I'll have to try it then

I've only caught two in my whole live, one off a rebel crawdad and one off a live frog

18 minutes ago, Basser2021 said:

A fellow local fishermen told me that gar eggs are poisonous

I suppose he was talking about longnose

That's true. Guys that eat them a lot use tin snips to clean them. A regular knife won't do anything. 

5 minutes ago, Basser2021 said:

I'll have to try it then

I've only caught two in my whole live, one off a rebel crawdad and one off a live frog

It’s one heck of a process, the skin is tougher than just about anything. Tools required include tin snips, hack saw, etc. 

 

its also a different texture of meat , like clams and/or mock crab . But it’s all white meat.

 

the one we fried in the photo was loaded with huge eggs in the dead of winter, we discarded them 

17 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s one heck of a process, the skin is tougher than just about anything. Tools required include tin snips, hack saw, etc. 

 

its also a different texture of meat , like clams and/or mock crab . But it’s all white meat.

 

the one we fried in the photo was loaded with huge eggs in the dead of winter, we discarded them 

I've heard that the texture is similar to shrimp..I've always thought about trying one but haven't got the guts yet to do it

9 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

I've heard that the texture is similar to shrimp..I've always thought about trying one but haven't got the guts yet to do it

It’s certainly firmer than any other fish . You’ve got to have an open mind going in hahaha

On 2/5/2022 at 5:56 AM, TnRiver46 said:

It’s certainly firmer than any other fish . You’ve got to have an open mind going in hahaha

Not trying to be funny, it honestly looks like a chicken nugget.

 

On 2/4/2022 at 7:27 PM, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve heard that as well. The meat is actually pretty good.